The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-03-25
The twcnty-fourth courtesy" is

i he tWcnty-t0urth courtesy is I,
recommendation to avoid placing eth
cr ones knife or spoon between your
own plate and that of your neighbor.
If with ladies, one is told to carve first
for them: "to them the men should do
honor. always remember if Il friend
be dining with one to help him to the
CHOICEST parts" DO not. however,
press Your friend too warmly to eat Or
drink, but receive him we'll and give
him good cheer" ''When dining with
any great man. cease eating while he
is drinking, and do not drink at the
same time as he: when sitting next a
bishop do not however drink till he
drinks, nor rise till he rises.'
Capital advice is further given not
to wipe the fingers on the table-cloth,
sentiment in which all thrifty house
wives concur. ''Let the hands be
clean. above II do not at table scratch
your head, nor indeed any portion Of
your body" "Do not. while eating,
fondle dogs or cats Or other pets; it is
not right to touch animals with hands
which touch the food"
when eating" with homini cogno-
scenti, adds the writer, ''do not pick
your teeth with the fingers Fra Bon
vesin once again coming toward to ex-
press his personal disgust at this hab-
it. "Do not, one is further admonish-
ed. ''lick your fingers, which is very
ugly and ill-bred, for fingers which
are greasy are not clean, but dirty
The advice seems once again to be
given not to speak with the mouth full,
as one cannot under such circumstances
do anything but stutter s'Do not trou-
BILE your neighbor with questions; if
YOU require anything from him, wait
till he has finished eating" ''Do not"
one is advised, tell at table doleful
tales, nor eat with a morose or melan-
choly air, but take care your words are
CHEEKY" (confortare). '.When at table
avoid wlangling and noisy disputes;
but if any one should transgress in this
manner, pass it over till later-do not
make Il disturbance. IF You feel un-
we'll at table. repress any expression of
pain. ard do not show suffering which
would inconvenience those at table. -
"lf You happen to see anything in the
food which is disagreeable do not refer
to it; if it is Il fly or other matter"
presumably inclined in this would
come the familiar hair, ''say nothing
about it." In handling your bowl or
plate at table, place your thumb only
on the edge ''Do not bring with You
to table too many knives and spoons,
there is mean in other words Hor-
aces Est modus in rebus. In prima-
tive times each guest was expected to
bring his own knife and spoon;
forks, though known from very early
time, and not being generally used till
recentlv.) The Lombard monk plain
" addresses himself to that middle
class" which we see slowly rising into
separate life with the thirteenth centu-
~. and the end of the long dark peri
od of medieval strife and turmoil with
its society composed solely of barons
and plebeians. Something of the refine
ment of the castlehall was slowly in
fluencing the bourgeoisie, which, till
now, can scarcely be said to have been
recognized, but which, from this time,
is to commence a new and stirring pc
riod of social existence.